I know there are some ppl with autoimmune illness who are concerned about having children

...and so here's the stuff on the health care bill and abortion rights.

Historic Health Care Bill Passes The US House Of Representatives...

and wears out one lupus patient.

I couldn't leave something this important undone, but it has been very hard to try and sift through all of the information, opinions, and passions.

Here's what I've come up with as being as representative as I could get over the past two days on The Bill:

http://donaldburr.com/healthcare.pdf

This health care reform campaign has been very much of a rollercoaster ride and I do not for one minute think it is over.

It is especially important that those of us who live in the U.S. and are coping with autoimmune disease in ourselves or our loves ones inform ourselves on how the bill might affect us and to let our representatives in the federal government know what we think about what is happening.

If you wish to contact your Senator about the bill quickly (the Senate has not yet voted on it) you are advised to phone or to fax. Email has been sent in large enough volumes that it may not all be being read quickly, and I'm told that mail to the Senators at their Washington addresses is still subject to the delay of search for anthrax or other dangerous substances.

My lupus is supposedly "fine"

But I've had some very hard times with health recently. I feel like all of my "diseases and conditions" are now on some kind of collision course with the side effects of the medications and of the enforced poverty and maybe even having to deal with being a bit older while still having to cope with All This Stuff...I don't know. I'm just incredibly tired! Like I could sit down and close my eyes and maybe feel like I'd had enough rest and be able to open them again after...a year.

Costochondritis

Costochondritis is considered to be harmless. I disagree. It can be entirely too painful, and pain can wear a person down to where they feel they are not even really alive...as well as turn a perfectly nice person into a bitch from hell.

Costochondritis also hard to spell. Frankly, costochondritis sucks. It truly does. I swear on a stack of Bibles that it is TOTAL SUXOR.

You heard it here first!

Things I Hate, #1038485

Migraines.

Oh how I hate you, migraine.

People say I never complain about them. That is not really true. I don't complain often, but I do complain...to the poor guy who lives with me, and sometimes to doctors. But since I know that I have to endure them, no point in complaining, really.

But that doesn't mean I LIKE them.

I hate the pain.

I hate the "down time" enforced upon me.

I hate the nausea.

I hate the interference with my vision.

I hate the vertigo.

I hate the sensitivity to light, sound, smell.

I know they can show up with lupus. I don't exactly like lupus, either. But again, no point in complaining. Just an occasional vent once in awhile to let the emotions out.